The Missing
by pandorabox82
Summary: Her group was gone, and Pygmalion was at a loss for how to help her. Could the strange new human know what to do?   Written for CCOAC 'Dog Days of Summer' challenge, my animal was a guinea pig, character is Erin.


I knew she'd come home by the sound of her shoes on the floor. My mistress had a very distinctive walk. I began to chirp and whistle at her approach and was delighted when she picked me up, stroking my curly fur. Galatea could care less if she were held or not, and so I'd bonded more with Erin than she had.

"I'm so tired of it all, Pygmalion," she whispered as we settled in on the couch, and I nuzzled her face slightly, my whiskers coming back wet with her tears. "They think I went to a conference on how to be a bigger bitch at the office. Not even Agent Hotchner knows why I took that leave of absence."

I twitched my nose in sympathy, knowing she was talking about her group. They'd been gone for months now, and yet Erin still cried every night over their leaving. A high pitched ringing noise shattered the silence and I began to whistle again, thinking it was the microwave. Galatea picked up on my whistle and began to copy me, hoping to get fed as well.

"Sorry, Pyg. That's the doorbell." Erin set me down on the couch and went away, her shoes making upset sounding slaps on the floor. "Go away!" I heard her shout minutes later, only to hear a gruff rumbling in response. The door slammed against the wall and I froze, every instinct in my body telling me to flee and bury myself beneath the closest pillow.

In my fear, I never heard her return, though I buried myself in her breasts as she picked me up and held me close. She was crying again. I could feel it in the way she breathed. "Why did you come here tonight, David?"

"To let you know you're not alone. I made Kitten swear she wouldn't tell another person what she was doing for me, and she keeps her promises. Why didn't you tell one of us that they were missing?"

"Would any of you have cared? Emily Prentiss was first and foremost in your brains and hearts. Who amongst you would spare a little kindness for a bitch like me?" That was the second time she'd called herself that tonight, and I nuzzled all the closer to her as she petted me absently.

The strange smelling human reached out to touch her shoulder and I reached out and bit him softly, warning him not to hurt my mistress. "Dammit, Erin, can't you control that overgrown rat?"

"He's not a rat, he's a guinea pig and he was only protecting me."

"I would have done so, too," he said softly, and he reached out one more time to touch her shoulder. I heard the change in his voice and let him pet her shoulder the way she often petted me. "Erin, we, that is, Penny and I, want to help you in any way we can. If it means hiking the entire Appalachian Trail, we will do so."

"Why, David? Why would you care?"

"For one, you're wasting away. Everyone knows something is wrong, though no one speaks of it aloud. You're just no fun to taunt when I get a half-hearted barb back. And two, Penelope knows what you're going through. She lost her family, too, and knows how much good closure can bring to your soul. And you can't help looking into her eyes and agreeing to whatever she asks of you, even if it is the moon."

"They're dead by now, they have to be." Her hand tightened around my body and I felt her shudder.

"Or they could have gotten lost in the Shenandoah. Penelope pulled up the records that show Theo was supposed to check in at one of the campsites there and never did. He's a very resourceful man. He could live off the land if forced to, helping the kids survive. So, what do you say? Will you let us help you?"

My mistress was silent for a long time, but finally I felt her lean against him, breaking down into harsh sobs. "Yes, please help, David. I'm so tired of all this."

I felt him hug her tightly, taking care not to smoosh me against his chest. "Ah, Erin," he whispered and I felt him shudder. "One way or another, we'll get you the answers you need. Come see Penelope tomorrow morning. We'll start bright and early on this and I know she won't rest until she has the whole truth of the matter to hand over."

I watched her kiss his fuzzy cheek. "Thank you, David." We fell asleep against his chest, only for me to be woken up sometime later by David putting a blanket over her and gently carrying me over to my cage. "Look after her, Pygmalion," he said as he patted my back. His hand made her seem tiny and I looked up at him, chattering lowly. "I know, under it all, she has a lovely soul." He shut the cage door and walked out of the room.

Cuddling up to Galatea, I stared into the dark of the room, waiting for the next time my mistress held me, telling me all her secrets.


End file.
